Wrap-around garment



Aug. 13, 1935. M. c. SCHRANK Re. 19,669

WRAP-AROUND GARMENT Original Filed April 5, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet l Aug.13, 1935. M. c. SCHRANK WRAP-AROUND GARMENT Original Filed April 5, 19352 Sheets-Sheet 2 mu -0005i Z0. 3 dm 5W 2 as a. m.

waona Q3! Q5 38? more or less successfully employed,

Reissued Aug. 13, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WRAP-AROUND GARMENTMax C. Schrank, Bridgeton, N. J.

3 Claims.

This invention relates generally to feminine apparel, and particularlyto slip-on garments of the wrap-around type.

Slip-on garments heretofore proposed and include structures with theedges meeting and overlapping at the front and donned and removed in amanner similar to coats. Such garments are designed particularly to beused over a dress to serve the purpose of a smock or apron. If used inlieu of a dress, garments of this type present several objections, chiefamong which is that they do not afford the wearer sufficient protectionbecause of the fact that in stepping, walk-' ing or running the actionof the lower legs tends to kick open the overlapped front portions,however, great the overlapping may be. A further objection is that frontoverlapped garments present decided limitations as to styling, becauseof the fact that they must necessarily be styled as coats or wrappers,and are thus restricted to the limited amount of styling that may bedone on a front opening dress.

The present invention aims to provide a slipon wrap-around garment to beused instead of a dress, possessing all of the advantages of the frontopening garment heretofore proposed, with an added advantage ofovercoming objections incident to front overlap structures, andproviding a garment wherein the field of styling is practicallyunlimited.

The invention consists generally in the provision of a slip-on of thewrap-around effect to be worn as a frock in lieu of a dress, wherein theoverlap occurs at some point other than the front, in order that thefront may be adaptable to desired styling. and wherein the actionincldent to walking or stretching the limbs tends to close the overlaprather than to cause the same to open. It is preferred that this overlapoccur at the rear or back of the garment where the natural tendency ofthe overlapped portion will be to follow and close upon the legs of thewearer when in the act of walking or stretching the legs. Though notrestricted to such use, a. garment possessing these characteristics isof particular value and advantage in domestic or sport activities, wherelightness of garments, free body movement and proper coverage are at alltimes essential.

With these objects in view, together with others which will appear asthe description proceeds, the invention consists in the novelconstruction, combination and arrangement of parts, all as will bedescribed more fully hereinafter, illustrated in the drawings andparticularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:-

Fig. l is a plan view of the improved garment as viewed from the inside,

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a. series of gores which when assembled andstitched together constitute another form of the invention,

Fig. 3 is the rear view of a figure showing the manner of applying thegarment,

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing a further step in applying the garment,

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the garment as it will appear whenproperly applied to the figure.

Fig. 6 is a rear elevation of the garment as shown in Fig. 5, and

Fig. 7 is a view of the garment as it will appear when applied to a formand disclosing the freedom of leg movement without exposing the coveredform.

In carrying out the invention, I provide a garment including combinedwaist and skirt portions which may be made of one piece or of separatepieces stitched together. The upper portion of the waist is providedwith armholes or suitable openings or cut away portions to receive thearms so that the garment may be put on from the front and the sidesbrought around in form enclosing manner and into overlapping position atthe rear of the wearer. Suitable tapes may be secured to the edges ofthe garment at the waistline in order that the garment may be properlyadjusted and the overlapped edges held in proper place. A garment soconstructed lends itself admirably and in an unlimited manner tovariations in styling, while at the same time it obviates exposure ofthe limbs when walking or in other forward tending movements. It will beunderstood that the armholes may be fitted with sleeves if desired, orthe upper portion of the waist part may be cut away to produce suntaneffect beneath the arms and in the back. More specifically, the garmentcomprises a front 5 and side or rear portions 1-8, all of which are ofsufficient length to provide waist and skirt portions and which whenproperly assembled are of suflicient breadth to entirely encircle thebody and to provide a substantial overlap at the rear of the body.

The upper part of the waist portion is provided with armholes 9, whichmay or may not be fitted with sleeves as desired. The front and rearportions of the garment may be all included in one piece or may consistof gores properly cut and stitched together along adjacent edges. Apreferred manner of securing the garment in proper form fitting relationupon the body resides in tapes Ill, one secured to a lateral edge ofeach rear portion at substantially the waistline thereof, and thesetapes pass from rear to front around the waist and may be tied togetherat the front or at the side of the body. To facilitate overlapping ofthe tapes, an opening II is provided in one of the side portions of thestructure at the waistline thereof, and through which one of the tapesmay be passed. It will be understood that the tapes need not be tied toeach other but may be secured each to some other part of the garment atthe sides, depending upon the effect desired. Moreover, it will beunderstood that fastening means other than those described may beemployed if desired.

In order to produce the effects and the results desired the garmentincreases in width from the upper part or waistline thereof to the loweredge of the skirt portion. This is in order that a proper fullness inthe skirt be provided to create a substantial overlap at the rear,suillcient to at all times and under all contemplated conditions secureprivacy. In instances where it is desired, kick pleats may be providedin the lower portion of the skirt in order to increase fullness.

' In one development of the invention, I find it very practical toconstruct the slip-on garment of a plurality of gores, one of which l2includes the front and is of substantially the breadth of the normalhuman body, having a cutaway neck portion at l3 and reduced in breadthat the waist portion to produce a form fitting effect. The rear goresIl-li are relatively wide, and have their inner edges shaped or curvedinwardly adjacent the waist, while a pair of intermediate gores l6 andII are interposed between the front and each of the said rear gores. Theadjacent edges of all of these gores are so shaped as when stitchedtogether to provide a styled form fitting garment, while the lowerportions of such gores are of such width as to provide sumcient fullnessin the skirt portion to permit of a substantial overlap when the garmentis applied to the figure. mediate gores lB-ll are cut away at It so asto provide arm openings. The gore l has its upper portion 19 cut orshaped so as to lay across the back of the wearer, and is provided witha buttonhole 20 to receive a button 2| carried by the opposite rearpanel ll. The outer edge of the gore l5 slants inwardly toward thewaistline as at 2| in order to produce a form fitting effect. The gores"-45 are provided with ties or tapes 22 in order that the garment may beheld together at the waistline, and one of the intermediate panels I! isprovided with a loop or opening 23 through which one of the tapes may bepassed to produce a meeting of the tapes at the front of the garment.The edge (see Fig. 6) of the upper part of the button-carrying paneldiverges from the upper part of the armhole portion thereof to thewaistline of the garment at the opposite side of the wearer and therebythe back of the wearer especially at and immediately above the waist iscovered by substantial The upper portions of the interoverlappingportions of the under and outer back panels so that a satisfactory fitor setting of the garment to the back of the wearer is assured.

With a garment constructed in accordance with the foregoing, it is atonce apparent that the same may be used as a slip-over or in lieu of adress. The garment is donned by extending the arms forwardly through thearmholes, overlapping the rear gores and tying the tapes together at thefront or at the side. The construction is such that the operations ofdonning or removing are extremely simple and may be quickly and easilycarried out with no strains or stresses exerted upon any part of thegarment. By reason of its particular construction it adapts itself tothe configuration of the human body and is form fitting, while at thesame time it presents unlimited opportunity for styling at the frontwhere it has heretofore been considerably restricted in this regard. Byreason of the fact that the overlap occurs at the back, no opportunityis afforded for the garment coming open when walking or stretching thelegs.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A wrap-around garment comprising a one piece structure combiningwaist andskirt portions, said structure including panels adapted tooverlap at the rear of the wearer and each having an arm hole near itsupper end, the edge of the underlying panel diverging from the upperpart of its armhole portion to the waistline of the garment at theopposite side of the wearer, the overlapping panel having a neck portionextending over and detachably secured to the upper part of the armholeportion of the opposite panel, and ties secured to the waistlineportions of said panels to encircle the waist and maintain the panels inoverlapped relation.

2. A wrap-around garment comprising a one piece structure combiningwaist and skirt portions, said structure including panels adapted tooverlap at the rear of the wearer and each having an armhole near itsupper end, the edge of the underlying panel diverging from the upperpart of its armhole portion to the waistline of the garment at theopposite side of the wearer, the overlapping panel extending over theunderlying panel to substantially the opposite side of the garment, andties secured to the waistline portions of said panels to encircle thewaist and maintain the panels in overlapped relation.

8. A wrap-around garment, comprising a one piece structure combiningwaist and skirt portions, said structure including panels adapted tooverlap at the rear of the wearer and each hav- A ing an armhole nearits upper end, the edge of the underlying panel diverging from the upperpart of its armhole portion to the waist line of the garment at theopposite side of the wearer, the overlapping panel extending over theunderlying panel to substantially the opposite side of the garment, andmeans at the waist line portion of said panels to hold the waist portionsnugly to the waist and maintain the panels in overlapped relation.

MAX C. SCHRANK.

